Editorial: End sale of assault weapons

I am a gun owner. The gun I own is kept in a locked gun safe. I purchased my handgun to protect myself and my family when I faced an immediate threat posed by an individual found guilty of stalking me. The court offered to grant me a CCP without having to complete the appropriate training because the threat was considered imminent. I chose not to get the CCP because I had no intention of toting my handgun around to places I usually went to, including my children’s elementary school, the grocery store or my parent’s house.

I believe in the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. While it was never my choice to own a gun prior to the threat, I didn’t deride those who did.

However, enough is enough.

I do not believe it is our right to own assault weapons. This should not be a debate of semantics either.

There is no reasonable argument to be made to continue the manufacture and distribution of assault weapons or extended munitions magazines. These weapons are not used to hunt and are not needed for target practice. They have no practical place in our society.

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The run on AR-15-type semi-automatic rifles after the Newtown massacre was alarming. The gun lobby would have you believe that the government wants to take away your firearms or eliminate the sale of ammunition. I am the government. You are the government. It is high-time that the government of the people, by the people and for the people rises up and puts a stop to this senseless violence aided by the sale of assault weapons.

JOHN GOUGEON

Sterling Heights

Criticism of Bush omitted

In his recent letter, Jeffrey Scott criticized journalists for not questioning President Obama about Operation Fast and Furious. The journalists were covering the President’s press conference following his issuance of numerous gun related executive orders. However, as is often the case with conservative criticism of the current administration and its media coverage, Scott omitted several pertinent facts.

Fast and Furious ended in January 2011. In light of the recent tragic events in Newtown and elsewhere why would Scott expect the media to bring up a two-year old story?

In September 2012, the Justice Departments’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a report that was very critical of this “gun walking” operation. So much for a Justice Department cover-up.

I must have missed Scott’s letter criticizing the Bush administration’s Operation Wide Receiver. This operation was very similar to Operation Fast and Furious. Wide Receiver also received harsh criticism by the Justice Department and Office of the Inspector General.

Based on the OIG report both “gun walking” operations were rife with poor decisions and failed oversight. Those on the right should be as fair and balanced” as the OIG report.